Deebo Samuel isn’t finished, but the next move in his career may determine whether he’s remembered as a fading former NFL All-Pro or a veteran weapon who simply needed the right offense again.
Samuel remains a free agent after one season with the Washington Commanders, who acquired him from the San Francisco 49ers but moved on after a year that never quite turned into the reset both sides needed.
His production wasn’t disastrous. He played 16 games, caught 72 passes for 727 yards and scored five touchdowns. But it also wasn’t enough to convince Washington he should remain part of its long-term plan.
That leaves Samuel in an awkward place. He’s no longer the explosive matchup nightmare who carried the 49ers offense in 2021, but he still has skills that matter if used properly.
Samuel has never been a classic outside receiver who wins purely with route precision or deep speed. His value comes after the catch, on screens, in motion, from the slot and occasionally from the backfield.
Put him in a creative system and he can still stress a defense. Put him in a static role and the decline looks much steeper.
Bears and Panthers could use Samuel differently
Chicago has been mentioned as a possible fit, and it’s easy to see why.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz wrote that the Bears could use Samuel as a third receiver alongside Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, especially given how often they still used 11 personnel last season.
Kalif Raymond and rookie Zavion Thomas are options, but neither offers Samuel’s combination of physicality and yards-after-catch ability.
The Bears wouldn’t need Samuel to be their top target. They’d need him to turn short throws into first downs and give the offense a veteran piece who can punish defenses focused elsewhere.
Carolina is another team that could make sense if it wants to get aggressive. Sports Illustrated’s Preston Palm suggested Samuel could be a name to watch for the Panthers, who still need more proven playmaking around their offense.
For the Panthers, Samuel would be a gamble on creativity. He’d give them a player who can work underneath, manufacture touches and help an offense avoid becoming too predictable.
49ers reunion still feels tempting
The most fascinating landing spot is the one Samuel knows best.
Richard Sherman said on his podcast that a return to San Francisco would make sense because Kyle Shanahan remains the coach who best understood how to unlock him.
“San Francisco,” Sherman said. “It all leads back home for these guys, because that’s where he’s had his greatest success.”
Sherman added that Shanahan used Samuel in “very unique ways” that showed off his best traits.
That’s the strongest argument for a reunion. Samuel’s peak came in San Francisco because the offense didn’t ask him to be ordinary. It turned him into a hybrid weapon, and that’s still the version most teams should want.
The concern is whether the 49ers want to revisit a chapter they already closed.
Samuel doesn’t need to be a star again to matter. But he does need a team that understands what he is now, he’s not a true No.1 receiver, nor just a gadget player, but a veteran who can still tilt a game if the role fits.
His next contract won’t just decide where he plays. It may decide whether his career gets one last meaningful run.
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